BAGUIO CITY, July 24 -- Eleven of 31 commercial deep wells tested by the city government failed to meet national bacteriological water safety standards.

Albert Pay-an, head of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Division of the City Health Services Office (CHSO), said the city has identified 40 commercial deep wells.

"Of the first 31 that underwent bacteriological testing, 11 failed and 20 passed, while laboratory results for the remaining nine are pending," Pay-an said in an interview Friday.

He said one of the most common reasons for failing the tests was that operators had shut off chlorinators used to disinfect water before distribution.

Establishments that failed the tests were issued sanitary orders directing them to suspend...